Ripples and Their Effects [C]

Acornstem sat in the shadow of the Highrock, watching the Clan go about their daily lives. The deputy's thoughts had been abuzz in her efforts to make sure the Clan was prepared for the war that Mottlestar was leading them into. That every cat was healthy, that they had enough herbs, that training was going apace and their camp was fully secure for whatever might happen. She was tired, tail flickering back and forth as she tried to think if she was missing anything - something that was perhaps left undone or if she could retreat to the elder's den and collapse next to Firefly.

She was starting to think that perhaps she was done for the day before she caught a glimpse of the black pelt of Nightdancer. Her ears perked, recalling the chaotic gathering at the Lake that had nearly a brawl between the warrior and Sunfire - a fight she perhaps should have allowed if it would have put the tom in his place and kept him from taking Softpaw's life... She had stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Wolfblossom then, a fact that nearly made her release a bitter laugh - what a fool she was to think that the deputy actually had control over her warriors. It...It was no doubt the last time they would 'work' together after everything that had happened.

Acornstem had sworn to get Nightdancer's explanation of events but in the end, the almost-fight quickly became an afterthought with everything else that was happening. Focusing on curing the Clan, than the wolves then... "Nightdancer?" she called out, waving her tail towards the she-cat to draw her attention. Well, it was better to get the she-cat's point of view now rather than never - mostly with the battle set to happen so soon. "Do you have a moment to speak?"

A sigh escaped the deputy as Nightdancer approached, but she returned the polite smile with one of her own. "I've come to realize in the chaos of everything, I forgot to follow up with you on...What happened at the last Gathering," she noted, whiskers twitching. She raised her tail to silence anything Nightdancer might have said quickly in return, continuing to speak. "I don't blame you for anything - not after... Not after everything he has done but it still matters to get your side of the story. So, what made you engage with him that night? Surely it would have been more prudent to ignore SkyClan as a whole and...Not make a scene," she added carefully, trying to keep her tone neutral.

She couldn't blame Nightdancer of being angry at the tom when she had been among those on the patrol where he had taken one of Mottlestar's lives but... Still she would have rather the two Clans managed to stay on opposite sides of the clearing for that entire night.